Dolphin Ratings - National Basketball Association

Explanation: Each team is listed with its record, overall score differential, and its ratings. Brief explanations of the ratings follow.

Schedule The number in this column is the effective opponent strength of a team. In other words, they would be expected to have the same record had they played all games against an opponent of this predictive rating at a neutral site. Because this calculation depends on the strength of the team in question, it is not possible to rank schedules using these values.
Expected Losses For college teams, this number is the number of losses an average ranked (top 15 hockey; otherwise top 25) team would be expected to have against the team's schedule. For pro teams, this is the number of losses an average team would be expected to have against the team's schedule. Unlike the schedule ranking, this value can be used to rank schedules.
Standard Ranks teams in an order such that a team is "probably better" than all teams ranked lower than it. This calculation uses margin of victory only for computing a team's opponents strengths; the team's rating itself is computed using only wins, losses, and ties relative to its schedule
Median Likelihood Determines the likely ratings for each team, based on its wins, losses, and ties relative to its schedule. This generally produces the same or similar ratings as the standard ranking.
Predictive Both schedule strength and rating vs. schedule strength are determined considering both the wins and losses and the score differentials. This rating contains none of the biases in the standard rating, but does weight recent games slightly more than past games since those are a better indication of the team's current strength. This rating is the best of the first three for seeing how good teams are, and thus is the best for predicting future results.
Improved RPI Rating The improved RPI formula is similar to the standard RPI, except that the schedule strength is carried out to infinite depth instead of ending with opponents' opponents, thus allows for a better comparison of isolated groups of teams than is given by the standard RPI calculation. It is similar to the simple rating, except that all games are given equal weight.
Scoring. This value indicates how many points a team would be expected to score if it played an identical team.
Offense. This combines the predictive and scoring ratings to measure how many points a team scores. The number is the predictive rating of an opponent against whom the team would be expected to score the league average number of points. This does not necessarily rate a team's offensive abilities, as a fast pace in basketball or big-play defense in football can make a team score more points.
Defense. This combines the predictive and scoring ratings to measure how many points a team allows. The number is the predictive rating of an opponent against whom the team would be expected to allow the league average number of points. The same caveat in the predictive-offense rating applies here.

In order to increase early-season stability, the three main rankings, the improved RPI, and the college pseudopoll include priors based on the previous season final predictive ratings and occasionally incorporating preseason predictions of various major publications. The other rankings for college sports do not include priors, and thus can be wildly unstable early in the year. A team whose rankings are affected by this prior is noted with a P following its rankings.

Full Ranking

                                              STANDARD   MED LIKELY  PREDICTIVE  IMPRVD RPI    SCORING     OFFENSE     DEFENSE 
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
HEAT          36 29 7809 7574  0.035 32.212   13  0.148   14  0.139    8  0.260   14 0.5137    2  4.039    1  0.593   17 -0.074
SPURS         47 18 7704 7260  0.081 32.591    2  0.564    2  0.579    2  0.551    2 0.5577   15  3.983    2  0.593    6  0.509
CAVALIERS     40 25 7718 7447  0.040 32.155    6  0.291    6  0.291    7  0.335    6 0.5297    8  4.008    3  0.506   12  0.163
THUNDER       51 15 7840 7119  0.046 31.847    1  0.665    1  0.673    1  0.658    1 0.5662   26  3.929    4  0.424    1  0.892
NUGGETS       39 26 7817 7582  0.013 31.625   10  0.235   10  0.228   11  0.177   10 0.5230    5  4.021    5  0.417   16 -0.064
KNICKS        42 25 7842 7429  0.051 33.155    5  0.318    5  0.313    5  0.464    5 0.5338   20  3.957    6  0.373    5  0.554
PISTONS       45 18 7351 6916  0.027 30.401    3  0.485    3  0.493    4  0.467    3 0.5509   23  3.942    7  0.297    3  0.636
HAWKS         33 31 7534 7506  0.009 31.581   16  0.050   16  0.041   15  0.065   16 0.5047    6  4.018    8  0.289   19 -0.159
TIMBERWOLVES  40 24 7591 7325 -0.032 30.023    8  0.250    8  0.245   10  0.199    8 0.5253   11  3.992    9  0.289   14  0.110
HORNETS       32 33 7533 7313 -0.006 31.212   20 -0.021   20 -0.031    6  0.347   20 0.4967   21  3.955   10  0.247    7  0.448
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
LAKERS        39 25 7416 7362 -0.014 31.001    9  0.243    9  0.243   17  0.055    9 0.5248   12  3.991   11  0.136   15 -0.026
CELTICS       43 21 7325 6840 -0.009 30.001    4  0.368    4  0.366    3  0.490    4 0.5388   30  3.900   12  0.109    2  0.871
JAZZ          20 45 7632 8119 -0.026 32.597   26 -0.454   25 -0.444   26 -0.475   26 0.4534    1  4.068   13  0.017   29 -0.968
MAGIC         35 28 7250 7158  0.023 31.251   14  0.146   13  0.144   14  0.106   13 0.5140   19  3.957   14  0.016   11  0.197
TRAIL BLAZERS 31 34 7497 7669  0.046 33.479   19  0.000   19 -0.003   20 -0.146   19 0.4989    9  4.004   15  0.006   22 -0.299
WARRIORS      32 32 7364 7295  0.030 31.985   18  0.036   18  0.024   16  0.061   18 0.5026   18  3.963   16  0.001   13  0.121
PELICANS      21 45 7623 7931 -0.033 32.425   25 -0.450   26 -0.448   22 -0.239   25 0.4555    7  4.011   17 -0.050   25 -0.428
GRIZZLIES     23 40 7286 7431 -0.048 30.291   23 -0.358   23 -0.357   21 -0.216   23 0.4642   10  4.004   18 -0.065   24 -0.366
CLIPPERS      32 32 7219 7189  0.038 32.255   17  0.043   17  0.033   12  0.146   17 0.5027   25  3.931   19 -0.080    8  0.373
76ERS         34 30 7397 7428 -0.002 31.505   15  0.077   15  0.078   19 -0.092   15 0.5072   16  3.976   20 -0.086   18 -0.097
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BULLS         26 38 7387 7669 -0.026 31.666   22 -0.230   22 -0.220   23 -0.334   22 0.4759    4  4.022   21 -0.087   26 -0.581
ROCKETS       39 24 7220 6921  0.020 30.500    7  0.278    7  0.275    9  0.228    7 0.5280   28  3.909   22 -0.105    4  0.562
RAPTORS       36 27 7162 7038 -0.000 30.630   12  0.166   12  0.161   13  0.118   12 0.5160   24  3.931   23 -0.107   10  0.343
SUNS          37 27 7173 7104  0.014 31.592   11  0.198   11  0.194   18  0.032   11 0.5194   27  3.911   24 -0.291    9  0.355
MAVERICKS     21 43 7230 7534 -0.041 31.464   24 -0.429   24 -0.423   24 -0.369   24 0.4565   17  3.973   25 -0.377   23 -0.361
WIZARDS       16 47 7074 7766 -0.085 30.749   30 -0.639   29 -0.637   30 -0.732   29 0.4368    3  4.026   26 -0.466   30 -0.998
PACERS        15 49 7130 7682 -0.046 31.964   29 -0.634   30 -0.642   28 -0.589   30 0.4350   13  3.986   27 -0.534   27 -0.644
BUCKS         27 36 6997 7293 -0.031 31.180   21 -0.185   21 -0.171   25 -0.387   21 0.4818   22  3.943   28 -0.550   20 -0.224
KINGS         15 50 7190 7873 -0.007 33.435   28 -0.622   28 -0.626   29 -0.665   28 0.4391   14  3.984   29 -0.620   28 -0.711
NETS          17 47 6858 7396 -0.009 32.685   27 -0.542   27 -0.540   27 -0.575   27 0.4453   29  3.909   30 -0.910   21 -0.241

PACIFIC DIVISION
                                              STANDARD   MED LIKELY  PREDICTIVE  IMPRVD RPI    SCORING     OFFENSE     DEFENSE 
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
LAKERS        39 25 7416 7362 -0.014 31.001    9  0.243    9  0.243   17  0.055    9 0.5248   12  3.991   11  0.136   15 -0.026
WARRIORS      32 32 7364 7295  0.030 31.985   18  0.036   18  0.024   16  0.061   18 0.5026   18  3.963   16  0.001   13  0.121
CLIPPERS      32 32 7219 7189  0.038 32.255   17  0.043   17  0.033   12  0.146   17 0.5027   25  3.931   19 -0.080    8  0.373
SUNS          37 27 7173 7104  0.014 31.592   11  0.198   11  0.194   18  0.032   11 0.5194   27  3.911   24 -0.291    9  0.355
KINGS         15 50 7190 7873 -0.007 33.435   28 -0.622   28 -0.626   29 -0.665   28 0.4391   14  3.984   29 -0.620   28 -0.711

NORTHWEST DIVISION
                                              STANDARD   MED LIKELY  PREDICTIVE  IMPRVD RPI    SCORING     OFFENSE     DEFENSE 
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
THUNDER       51 15 7840 7119  0.046 31.847    1  0.665    1  0.673    1  0.658    1 0.5662   26  3.929    4  0.424    1  0.892
NUGGETS       39 26 7817 7582  0.013 31.625   10  0.235   10  0.228   11  0.177   10 0.5230    5  4.021    5  0.417   16 -0.064
TIMBERWOLVES  40 24 7591 7325 -0.032 30.023    8  0.250    8  0.245   10  0.199    8 0.5253   11  3.992    9  0.289   14  0.110
JAZZ          20 45 7632 8119 -0.026 32.597   26 -0.454   25 -0.444   26 -0.475   26 0.4534    1  4.068   13  0.017   29 -0.968
TRAIL BLAZERS 31 34 7497 7669  0.046 33.479   19  0.000   19 -0.003   20 -0.146   19 0.4989    9  4.004   15  0.006   22 -0.299

SOUTHWEST DIVISION
                                              STANDARD   MED LIKELY  PREDICTIVE  IMPRVD RPI    SCORING     OFFENSE     DEFENSE 
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
SPURS         47 18 7704 7260  0.081 32.591    2  0.564    2  0.579    2  0.551    2 0.5577   15  3.983    2  0.593    6  0.509
PELICANS      21 45 7623 7931 -0.033 32.425   25 -0.450   26 -0.448   22 -0.239   25 0.4555    7  4.011   17 -0.050   25 -0.428
GRIZZLIES     23 40 7286 7431 -0.048 30.291   23 -0.358   23 -0.357   21 -0.216   23 0.4642   10  4.004   18 -0.065   24 -0.366
ROCKETS       39 24 7220 6921  0.020 30.500    7  0.278    7  0.275    9  0.228    7 0.5280   28  3.909   22 -0.105    4  0.562
MAVERICKS     21 43 7230 7534 -0.041 31.464   24 -0.429   24 -0.423   24 -0.369   24 0.4565   17  3.973   25 -0.377   23 -0.361

CENTRAL DIVISION
                                              STANDARD   MED LIKELY  PREDICTIVE  IMPRVD RPI    SCORING     OFFENSE     DEFENSE 
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
CAVALIERS     40 25 7718 7447  0.040 32.155    6  0.291    6  0.291    7  0.335    6 0.5297    8  4.008    3  0.506   12  0.163
PISTONS       45 18 7351 6916  0.027 30.401    3  0.485    3  0.493    4  0.467    3 0.5509   23  3.942    7  0.297    3  0.636
BULLS         26 38 7387 7669 -0.026 31.666   22 -0.230   22 -0.220   23 -0.334   22 0.4759    4  4.022   21 -0.087   26 -0.581
PACERS        15 49 7130 7682 -0.046 31.964   29 -0.634   30 -0.642   28 -0.589   30 0.4350   13  3.986   27 -0.534   27 -0.644
BUCKS         27 36 6997 7293 -0.031 31.180   21 -0.185   21 -0.171   25 -0.387   21 0.4818   22  3.943   28 -0.550   20 -0.224

SOUTHEAST DIVISION
                                              STANDARD   MED LIKELY  PREDICTIVE  IMPRVD RPI    SCORING     OFFENSE     DEFENSE 
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
HEAT          36 29 7809 7574  0.035 32.212   13  0.148   14  0.139    8  0.260   14 0.5137    2  4.039    1  0.593   17 -0.074
HAWKS         33 31 7534 7506  0.009 31.581   16  0.050   16  0.041   15  0.065   16 0.5047    6  4.018    8  0.289   19 -0.159
HORNETS       32 33 7533 7313 -0.006 31.212   20 -0.021   20 -0.031    6  0.347   20 0.4967   21  3.955   10  0.247    7  0.448
MAGIC         35 28 7250 7158  0.023 31.251   14  0.146   13  0.144   14  0.106   13 0.5140   19  3.957   14  0.016   11  0.197
WIZARDS       16 47 7074 7766 -0.085 30.749   30 -0.639   29 -0.637   30 -0.732   29 0.4368    3  4.026   26 -0.466   30 -0.998

ATLANTIC DIVISION
                                              STANDARD   MED LIKELY  PREDICTIVE  IMPRVD RPI    SCORING     OFFENSE     DEFENSE 
TEAM           W  L   PF   PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
KNICKS        42 25 7842 7429  0.051 33.155    5  0.318    5  0.313    5  0.464    5 0.5338   20  3.957    6  0.373    5  0.554
CELTICS       43 21 7325 6840 -0.009 30.001    4  0.368    4  0.366    3  0.490    4 0.5388   30  3.900   12  0.109    2  0.871
76ERS         34 30 7397 7428 -0.002 31.505   15  0.077   15  0.078   19 -0.092   15 0.5072   16  3.976   20 -0.086   18 -0.097
RAPTORS       36 27 7162 7038 -0.000 30.630   12  0.166   12  0.161   13  0.118   12 0.5160   24  3.931   23 -0.107   10  0.343
NETS          17 47 6858 7396 -0.009 32.685   27 -0.542   27 -0.540   27 -0.575   27 0.4453   29  3.909   30 -0.910   21 -0.241

DIVISION             W   L   PCT  RNK RATING
NORTHWEST DIVISION 181 144 0.557    1  0.131
ATLANTIC DIVISION  172 150 0.534    2  0.104
SOUTHWEST DIVISION 151 170 0.470    3 -0.014
SOUTHEAST DIVISION 152 168 0.475    4 -0.020
PACIFIC DIVISION   155 166 0.483    5 -0.082
CENTRAL DIVISION   153 166 0.480    6 -0.109

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.122 points in main ratings (0.186 for semineutral)
     0.013 points in improved RPI (0.019 for semineutral)
Average of 2.15 points per score

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Tue Mar 10 05:30:09 2026
games through: Mon Mar  9 2026

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